The New Constitution: Accelerated Development Cities and the Launch of a Unique Economic Ecosystem in Alatau
Today, July 1, 2026, the new Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan came into force, establishing modern mechanisms for accelerated regional development. A significant innovation is the possibility of introducing special legal regimes, including the status of "accelerated development city."
The city of Alatau will be the first such unique platform and a new hub for the country's economic growth. The legal basis for this large-scale project was established by the Constitutional Law signed by the Head of State on May 8. This new status transforms Alatau into an independent economic ecosystem with its own institutional architecture, which will be implemented in stages over 12 months. Effective July 1, the Alatau City Authority will be transformed into a full-fledged government agency, and strategic leadership for the city's development will be transferred to a Council chaired directly by the Prime Minister.
A fundamentally new environment is being created in Alatau for international investors. The city's special regime provides for stable business conditions, a customized licensing procedure, independent regulation based on the "one-stop shop" principle, and international capital protection mechanisms. Special tax, customs, and budgetary regimes will also be implemented in the city, complemented by the ability to apply the best international standards. A regulatory framework for architecture, construction, and oversight will be developed by the end of this year, with the support of leading international consulting firms.
Alatau's strategic planning is designed for decades to come: a 30-year Long-Term Development Plan, a Master Plan, and a Strategy to 2040 are currently being prepared. The city itself will become smart and technologically advanced: a digital district, K-Smart City, is already being designed in collaboration with the Republic of Korea on an area of 330 hectares, with Korean developers slated to begin construction in 2027. Process management is planned to be entirely entrusted to artificial intelligence as part of the Alatau AI-Driven City concept, which envisions the creation of a fully-fledged digital twin of the city.
The economic foundation of the metropolis is being laid at an accelerated pace. The current roadmap already includes 36 large-scale infrastructure projects. At the same time, an investment portfolio of 53 projects with a total value of approximately 2 trillion tenge has been formed, which will create approximately 51,000 new jobs.